Hypothermia
by Larxenethefirefly
Summary: As the snow started to pile on top of me, I laughed at the irony of it all. Who wouldv'e thought that Captain Hitsugaya, the Ice Prince of the Shinigami's, would freeze to death? hitsuhina
1. Blizzard

Hiya, Larxene here This is the entry for Cherryblossom hime's contest. Yes, I know it's rather late, but I've been swamped with homework and studying for finals recently...0.o Yup, this chapter is rather short, but it's the best I could do given the circumstances. This is most likely going to be a two-shot, but it may be a three-shot if I'm lucky. Anyways, here's Hypothermia! (and yes, it is a Hitsuhina fic)

* * *

I slogged through the snow, my breath misting in front of me. It was freezing outside, and shivering, I pulled my coat closer. Matsumoto had forced me out here an hour ago, saying that I needed to clear my head.

_"It's your birthday. You need to have some time to yourself! Everyone knows you've been working harder than everyone since Aizen betrayed us." She said, shoving me out the door._

_"But I don't have time! There's still paperwork, training, and who knows what else before the attack!" I protested, trying to stop her from pushing me out the door._

_"Too bad!" she said, and with a final push I was kicked out of my own office._

I sighed. After that, I had wandered outside the walls of the Gotei 13 headquarters, remembering the days when Hinamori and I played out here, without a care in the world.

Glancing up at the sky, I made a mental note to start heading back. The clouds were a dark grey, pregnant with snow and ice. Another storm was coming, and from the looks of it, it would be a big one. I picked up the pace, squinting from all the white. Seeing the walls of the Soul Society in the distance, I started toward them, angling my path toward the gates.

Soon, my solo travel was accompanied by a flurry of soft snowflakes. I smiled, and stopping, I tried to catch one on my tongue. Blinking, I shook my head, wondering just what I was doing. Turning back on my course, I continued.

o0o

Hinamori giggled, helping Matsumoto hang up the giant banner. They had been planning a surprise birthday for Toshiro, and now that he was out of the office, they were able to get the decorations up. Several others from the squad were in there helping as well, chattering excitedly.

A blond-haired girl walked up, holding a box of something-or-other. "Matusmoto-san, where do I put these?" she asked shyly.

Matusmoto examined the contents of the boxes. "Oh, those are hung from the ceiling. Just use a little kido to stick them up there- they'll stay."

"Ok. Thank you." She said, bowing slightly, than trotted off.

Climbing down off the ladder, Hinamori looked around. "It's starting to look amazing." She said, clapping her hands together in excitement.

Matusmoto nodded, eyeing the work. The blond-haired girl had rallied up several others to scatter the hanging snowflakes from the box on the ceiling, and two others were arranging the giant pile of presents into a sculpture of a dragon, using Kido to make sure they didn't fall. The banner she and Hinamori had hung was up, sparkling greatly and prominently displaying its message: Happy Birthday Captain Hitsugaya!

"Alright, we're almost done! Hinamori, once we're done, go find the Captain, ok?" Matusmoto asked.

Hinamori nodded. "Alright. He shouldn't be too hard to find with hair like this."

Matsumoto giggled. "Just don't let him hear you say that."

o0o

I hadn't realized how far I had traveled. Several minuets later I still hadn't gotten any closer, and a small trickle of fear went down my spine. The snowfall had gotten harder, and it wasn't going to let up soon. Panting, I picked up the pace, jogging to keep myself warm and to ward off the fact that I might not make it to the walls before the blizzard struck. Oh of all times to listen to Matsumoto….

The blizzard struck.

o0o

Hinamori looked over the rooftops, worried. She hadn't found Toshiro yet, and since she normally ran into him whenever she was looking, she was getting a bad feeling in her gut that something wasn't right. Going over to the gatekeeper, she waved up at him. "Have you seen Captain Hitsugaya recently?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. He left some time ago but hasn't returned." Seeing her look, he quickly said, "Don't worry, missy. He probably returned through some other gate."

"Alright- thanks." She said, still worried. Thinking he may have gotten to the companies stable ahead of her, she started back when the blizzard started. Blindly, she struggled forward until she ran into a wall. Sighing with relief, Momo found the door and tumbled inside. "It's gotten crazy out there." She panted.

Matusmoto looked at her expectantly. "Where the Captain?"  
Hinamori froze. "He's not back here with you?"

"No. Oh no, don't tell me…" They stared at each other, horror in their eyes. Toshiro was still out there? They raced to the hallway, gathering all the coats, scarves, earmuffs, and snow boots they could find. Putting them on, they raced back to the others. "Here, wear these. We've got to go find the Captain!" Matusmoto yelled.


	2. Frozen

Yay, the second part! I was surprised at how many reviews and favorites I recieved. Looks like it was better than I thought...anyways, here's the second part, and looks like it'll be a three-shot after all.

Disclaimer- yeah, you know the drill...

* * *

I was lost quickly in the mass of swirling white. It seemed to be everywhere, suffocating, and freezing- a prison of white ice. But not the type of ice I was used to. I hated it.

Snow was unlike me- sure, I could make it snow if I wanted to, but that type of snow was soft and gentle. This snow was nature's weapon, a giant storm of its greatest soldiers. Unlike my water and ice attacks, this was a mix of both, so alike, yet so different.

Exhausted, I stumbled on, wondering where I was going. Strange enough, I guess I had given up- I stumbled and did not rise. And as the snow gathered around me, I had to laugh at the irony of it all- who would've thought that Captain Hitsugaya, the Ice Prince of the Soul Society, would freeze to death? Thinking about this, I began to realize all the things I should've done in my life that I would never have the chance to do again. I wanted to be a carefree kid again, spitting watermelon seeds at Hinamori and engaging in pointless arguments just for the sake of having fun.

Hinamori…her face rose in my mind immediately, and my heart ached. I loved her, yet I was too scared to tell her. She was still hurting from Aizen's betrayal, and I didn't want her to get her hopes up only to have them dashed again if I died. But now I wished that I had told her, if only to have my soul at peace before I died.

Closing my eyes, I let the white settle in around me. Strange how dying wasn't as bad as people made it…

o0o

Hinamori raced through the blizzard, breathing hard. Behind her, the other squad members were scrambling to stay together, tied by a rope to ensure their safety. Using a tracking Kido, Hinamori made sure that they wouldn't get lost, and desperately she examined the ground, searching, trying to find Toshiro.

Frozen tears were already on her face, and though her body was already numb, she continued, calling out to the frozen world. "Shiro-chan! Shiro-chan, where are you?"

Her voice was swallowed by the howling winds, but she persisted. "Please, Shiro-chan! Answer me!" Bordering on hysteria, she screamed, wept, and raced through the white curtains of snowfall, continuing to call out helplessly.

Eventually, the others were forced to leave, guided by an anxious Matsumoto. Hinamori remained, combing the countryside as she searched for her best friend, the only one who truly cared for, the one she had secretly loved but refused to acknowledge the feeling-until now.

o0o

I supposed it was that since I controlled ice, I survived longer than I thought. Heck, anyone else would be dead by now. Experimentally, I tried wriggling my toes, but since they were so numb I don't know if I succeeded. I hoped I wouldn't get frostbite- but since I wasn't going to live anyway, I realized it didn't matter. Personally, I preferred dying like this, not knowing whether we will win the war or not- I sure wouldn't want to live with myself if I survived, only to see Aizen win the war.

o0o

Hinamori was getting tired quickly. Her frantic running was now replaced with a slow, desperate plod through the snow, but her calling did not falter. Her echo of "Shiro-chan, Shiro-chan where are you?" was carried away on the wind, her face still hosting frozen streaks of her tears. Now, though, she was no longer crying- she realized that crying would do nothing to help her save Toshiro, in fact, it would only hamper her sight. The only good thing about the situation was that the blizzard was finally beginning to die down, and she was able to see a wider area around her. Stumbling onward, she thought she saw a flash of blue-green, and hopefully, she headed toward that direction.

o0o

Drowsily, I thought I heard my name being called- well, technically, it wasn't my name, but the way Hinamori uses it. Shiro-chan, she calls me. Normally, I would've been annoyed to hear that, but now I welcomed it. Maybe I was still keeping some of my sanity. However, the important part was that it was Hinamori's voice calling out to me, and closing my eyes I smiled, glad to hear her voice for the last time.

"Shiro-chan, is that you?"

o0o

It was just a lump in the snow, but she could faintly make out a pale face and the irregular shape of white snow, blending in with the snow. Stepping forward, her eyes widened when she noticed it WAS him- practically buried in the snow, the only area free was his face, where his breath had melted the snow before it could freeze to him. Racing over, she scrambled to free him, sobbing. "Oh, Shiro-chan, you're here! I found you!"

A faint voice reached her ears. "Stupid…Momo….what are you…doing?"

"I'm saving you, Idiot!" She screamed, her relief overwhelming everything else she felt. The bitter cold meant nothing as she heard his voice. He was still alive.

He moved slightly as she pulled him upward. Leaning his limp form against hers, it frightened her they way he wasn't moving. She had to get him to the fourth division soon, or this whole venture would be worthless. "Shiro-chan, stay awake, ok?" she asked, and seeing him nod, she began chattering about nothing to keep him conscious.

o0o

I didn't hear anything she was saying, the words sounding like a muted, static-filled radio to my ears. The whole journey through the storm and back to the Soul Society was hard to remember, since I was half-dead already. My feet dragging on the ground, I let Hinamori pull me forward. However, at the gate, I couldn't go further and tumbled to the ground. Startled, Hinamori pulled me into a sitting position. Though her mouth was moving, I couldn't hear a word- the world had gone strangely silent. Her figure blurred in front of my eyes, and I closed them, sinking gratefully into a deep sleep.

"Hinamori…I love you…remember that." I whispered, before everything went black.

* * *

uh-oh, that dosn't sound good. At least he said he loved her, right? Well, I'll be updating again soon, so let's see what happens... 


	3. Melting

Alright, the last chapter! Yes, I know I updated in the same day, but I don't know if I'll get a chance to any other time. Anyways, here's the final chapter

Disclaimer- I don't own bleach. period.

_

* * *

_

_I looked up at the blue skies, smiling. Beside me, a bowl of watermelons were being devoured, and I bit into the one I was currently holding. Keeping the seeds in my mouth, I glanced slyly around and saw Momo beside me, dozing off. Smirking, I spat them at her, and she jumped up, shrieking. "Shiro-chan, stop it!" Laughing, I poked her in the side. "That's what you get for sleeping, Bed-wetter Momo!"_

_She pouted. "I don't wet the bed anymore, Shiro-chan!" Suddenly, she stopped, and looked up at the sky. "I'm going to the Shinigami academy, Shiro. I'm going to become a Soul Reaper._

_I frowned at her. "Why would you want to do that? All you do is sit in a classroom all day. I'd rather be out here eating watermelons and having fun."_

_"But that's it! Sure, the academy might be boring, but once you graduate you can go to the world of the living, see sights you won't see here, and protect others from hollows. Don't you find that exciting?" She said, eyes shining._

_"'Course not." I replied bluntly, but secretly I was jealous. I wanted her to be here, with me, not going to some school with people who could hurt her. Call me overprotective, but I cherished her to much._

_In response, she squished a watermelon in my face, giggling as I spluttered. "Oh, you'll go Shiro-chan, just you wait and see."_

o0o

How right she was. The memories I had kept locked up inside flashed before my closed eyes, and I relieved every moment of my life, starting when I arrived here in the Soul Society, meeting Momo, the Shinigami Academy, and finally achieving my spot as a Captain and Aizen's betrayal. That whole time, I had loved Momo- first as a friend, then as it is now. I wondered if this is what they meant by my life flashing before my eyes before I died- but suddenly, dying didn't seem as good now as it did earlier.

o0o

Hinamori had managed to bring Toshiro to the fourth division in the blizzard, and now was holding his hand tightly as Captain Unohana and several other squad members warmed him up and checked to make sure everything was functioning properly. She knew that she was in the way, but she would not budge, knowing that Toshiro would do the same for her. It was time she stood up for herself and become the protector, not the protected. If only Toshiro would wake up, she thought. Then everything would be better. Quietly, she began speaking to him, just as he had once, when she was in a similar state.

o0o

Suspended in a world of light and dark, I didn't know whether to go on way or the other. The light was harsh and burned my eyes, but it was warm and comforting. The dark, on the other hand, would provide me with sleep and calm, but it was cold and unforgiving.

I heard someone calling out to me, quietly and softly. It swirled around me, pleading with me, asking me to come back. Confused, I looked around- shapes began swirling around me, making random patterns. Then one solidified, and with a start I realized it was Hinamori, looking around with a sad expression on her face.

"Shiro-chan, please wake up. Please, come back to me, Shiro-chan." She said, looking past him.

I walked forward, hands extended. "I'm here, Momo, I'm here." She didn't seem to hear me, just repeated her questioning, looking around. I stumbled forward, trying to grip her hand, but the instant we connected she dissolved into a thousand particles of shimmering light. I was soon surrounded by it, drowning in its radiance. I struggled upward, trying to escape this prison of my own creation…

o0o

Hinamori felt him stir and her grip tightened. "Shiro-chan! Can you hear me? Please, don't give up. Please!"

o0o

Her voice was getting stronger and louder, and with a final lunge I escaped the light, and in an instant I felt life returning to me. My senses came back with a rush, and I realized that I was lying in a bed, with someone squeezing my hand tightly. The cause of this was breathing hard, probably anxious. Slowly, I opened my eyes, seeing the worried face of Hinamori above me. For a moment, we regarded each other, and then I broke the silence. "You know, you're going to break my hand if you squeeze harder." I mumbled, still surprised that I was _actually _alive.

Her worried expression dissolved instantly, leaving her looking gloriously happy. "You're awake!" She yelled, practically tackling me as she hugged me. Startled, I wriggled out of her grasp, sitting upright. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

She laughed. "I know. But you've been asleep for hours…you'll miss the party!"

"What party?" I asked suspiciously.

Her hand covered her mouth. "Oh no, I wasn't supposed to say that! Look what you made me do!"

I smirked. "You'll tell me right now what you mean by a party, bed-wetter Momo." Lunging forward, I tickled her, and she rolled on top of me, laughing. "St...Stop, Shiro…chan! I can't…tell you…" She gasped, and I reluctantly gave up. Hugging her close, I said, "I'm glad you saved me, Momo. Thank you."

She blushed, and as we looked at each other, our heads drew closer together. Just when we were about to kiss, Unohana barged into the room and we sprang apart. Her blush deepening, Momo averted her eyes as Unohana eyed the two. "Well, glad to see you're up, Captain Hitsugaya. You just need to sign the release papers and you can go."

Nodding, I accepted the papers and quickly signed them, and after watching Unohana leave the room I got out of bed. Mumbling something about seeing me at my office later, she left me to change, and soon I was out of my hospital room and heading toward my office and the paperwork I needed to get done. Imagine my surprise when I entered, and I was practically trampled when people jumped out at me. "Happy Birthday Captain!" They hollered, but it was the "Happy Birthday Shiro-Chan!" that got my attention. And there was Momo, smiling and laughing at my shocked expression. I smiled, and went over to her. Not once did I leave her side the whole celebration.

o0o

After the party was over and the presents all unwrapped, Momo and I went up on the rooftop to watch the stars, just as we had for every birthday I've ever had. For a moment, we were silent, than Momo spoke up. "I have one last present for you, Shiro-chan." She said, blushing. Curiously, I looked at her. "What is it?" I asked.

For a split second she hesitated, then quickly leaned in and kissed me on the lips. Though I wanted it, I was still surprised that Momo would be the one to make the first move. Smirking, I playfully punched her on the shoulder. "What made you so bold, Momo?"

Her blush deepened. "Did you like it?" she asked, avoiding the question. I sighed. "Silly Momo, you would you ask that? It was the best present I've received my whole life." I responded, kissing her back.

Now, of course, I'm glad that I chose to live. Even though the day of the war is growing ever so closer, it's easier to manage because I know I'm not alone in it all. Though strange as it may sound, I don't regret getting lost in that snowstorm, because now I have Hinamori by my side forever and always.

* * *

This was a fun one to write. Yay, he lived! Not that I was planning on killing him...


End file.
